Recipe Today: Cod Loin Tamale Smoked Tomato Butter with Mofongo and Wilted Greens

by Anthony Salemme, contributing chef

This Mexican Puerto Rican Tamale will wow your friends and family for your next dinner. You can leave out the bacon from the mofongo for a Lenten Meal.

4 6-ounce Cod loins

4 Tablespoons tomato paste

¼ cup lemon juice

1 Tablespoon smoked paprika

S & P

1 package banana leaves (cut into 14 inch squares, and 8 strips of the leaves for tying the ends of the tamale)

Directions

In a bowl mix the tomato paste, paprika lemon juice and S & P, then rub each portion of cod with the butter mixture.

Mofongo

5 green plantains

1 pound bacon (cooked until crisp and chop into bits, reserve 3 tablespoons bacon fat)

4 cloves garlic ( peeled and minced)

¼ cup olive oil

1 ½ cup chicken broth

2 cups vegetable oil (to fry plantains)

Directions

Peel the plantains

Cut into slices of about 1½ inch and soak in salted water for 15 minutes.

Drain. Place on a dish lined with paper towel and dry well.

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan.

Fry the plantains in the vegetable oil over a low-medium heat, turning them halfway through cooking.

Be careful not to brown them because it may form a small crust that would make it difficult to reduce to a smooth mash.

Remove the plantains from the pan and drain on paper towel.

In a food processor add the plantains, garlic and chicken broth while slowly pouring the olive oil.

The desired consistency should not be too soft or too dense. The purée should be easily molded.

Stir in the chopped cooked bacon.

Divide the mofongo into 4 parts and mold into a rectangle on the banana leaves.

Greens

8 ounces Spinach or Swiss Chard

3 Tablespoons of the remaining bacon fat

In a saute pan on medium heat add the greens and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes.

Let cool 15 minutes.

Assembly

Lay out banana leaves. Top each leaf with a quarter of the mofongo then top with a quarter of the greens then top with cod. Fold leaf edges to the middle and tie the ends with banana leaf strips. Place in a baking pan with a ¼ inch of water on the bottom. Cover pan with foil. Bake at 425F for 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Anthony loves to cook and share recipes. You can follow him on Instagram at – @mealpvd and online at www.anthonysalemme.com